UN chief to address world’s parliamentarians at meeting in Switzerland

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon heads to Switzerland next week for a three-day visit that will include an address to a gathering of many of the world’s parliamentarians.

Mr. Ban is scheduled to arrive in Sunday in Berne, the Swiss capital, to attend the inaugural ceremony of the 125th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), according to information released by his spokesperson. Established in 1889, the IPU serves as the international organization for the world’s parliaments.

The Secretary-General is also expected to meet with Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey, members of the Swiss Parliament’s foreign affairs committee and senior officials with the Swiss federal administration.

Mr. Ban then travels to Geneva to visit the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue and take part in the executive committee meeting of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).